Bullying in Schools

Bullying in schools remains a serious concern across the UK, both in physical environments and online. While increasingly recognised as unacceptable, incidents of bullying continue to rise, affecting children's health, happiness, and long-term wellbeing.

Please note: we are only able to take on privately funded cases. If you are unable to fund your case privately or if you are looking for general guidance on what actions you can take to protect your or your child’s education rights, you may refer to the Citizens Advice website.

Expert Legal Advice on School Bullying

Our education law team offers fixed-fee consultations to help you understand your legal options and take action. We have extensive experience in handling bullying and safeguarding matters in educational settings.

The Impact of Bullying

Bullying can have profound consequences on children—emotionally, socially, and academically. Whether it occurs face-to-face or through digital platforms, it can lead to trauma and hinder a child’s ability to thrive. Schools are expected to take a zero-tolerance approach, but when bullying is not adequately addressed, escalation may be necessary.

Our Approach

We are committed to ensuring that children and young people receive the support they need to succeed. Our team has a strong track record in education law and is known for its strategic, empathetic, and determined approach to resolving bullying-related issues.

We bring specialist insight to every case, exploring solutions from multiple legal angles. Our experience spans safeguarding, discrimination, and complaints procedures, and we are well-equipped to advise on complex bullying matters.

What Is Bullying?

The Anti-Bullying Alliance defines bullying as:

“The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online.”

Many forms of bullying are unlawful under common law, including:

• Physical violence or threats
• Assault
• Theft or criminal damage
• Hate crimes
• Cyberbullying

Harassment (e.g. repeated name-calling, threats, abusive messages)

Is Bullying Illegal?

Certain types of bullying can be considered criminal offences and should be reported to the police. These include hate crimes, harassment, theft, and physical assault. Legal intervention may be necessary to protect the child and hold the perpetrator accountable.

Legal Responsibilities of Schools

Educational institutions have a duty of care to protect pupils. This responsibility may extend beyond school premises—for example, bullying on a bus that is later shared online. Schools can be held legally accountable for failing to prevent or respond to bullying, even when incidents occur off-site.

Bullying may also intersect with other legal issues, such as discrimination. In such cases, legal action may involve both bullying and discrimination complaints.

How We Can Help

• Our education law team provides tailored legal support, including:
• Clear guidance on your legal rights
• Assistance with complaints to schools
• Representation by experienced solicitors
• Strategic and bespoke advice

We prioritise the wellbeing of the child in every case and aim to empower families with the information needed to make informed decisions.